IELTS Speaking Questions: Jokes
Jokes questions in Part 1 are light and personal: whether you like telling jokes, who makes you laugh, what kind of humour you enjoy and where you hear it. You do not have to tell a joke; a direct answer plus a small example, such as a friend or a programme, keeps the answer natural.
Part 3 uses humour to talk about culture, age and communication, asking why people laugh together, why jokes travel badly between languages and whether comedians should have limits. Prepare a clear view on humour at work or in public life and practise comparing generations or cultures with a reason.
Part 1 questions
Short, personal, present-tense. Answer the question directly first, then add the one detail the tip suggests — the extension is what separates a one-line answer from a Band 7 one.
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Do you like telling jokes?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then add a short reason.
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Who is the funniest person you know?
How to extend itName the person, then say what makes them funny.
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What kind of jokes do you find funny?
How to extend itName a kind, then give one reason.
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Do you often laugh with your friends?
How to extend itSay how often, then describe a typical moment.
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Where do you usually hear jokes?
How to extend itName a place or source, then give an example.
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Did you hear many jokes when you were a child?
How to extend itContrast then with now in one extra sentence.
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Do you remember a joke that made you laugh a lot?
How to extend itDescribe it in a sentence, then say why it worked.
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Do you like funny films or television programmes?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name one example.
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Are you good at remembering jokes?
How to extend itGive an honest answer, then say why.
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Do you tell jokes in English?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then say how it feels.
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Is there a type of joke you do not enjoy?
How to extend itName one, then say why it does not appeal.
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Do you think a sense of humour is important?
How to extend itTake a side, then give one reason.
Part 3 questions
The same topic, pitched at the abstract level the examiner moves to after your cue card. These want reasoning — a position, a cause, an example, a concession — not a description of your own life.
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Why do people enjoy laughing together?
How to structure itGive one reason, then a short example.
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Is the sense of humour the same in every culture?
How to structure itState a view, then give one example of a difference.
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Do you think older and younger people find different things funny?
How to structure itCompare the two groups, then suggest a reason.
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Can humour be useful in the workplace?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one possible risk.
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Should comedians be allowed to joke about any subject?
How to structure itTake a stance, then acknowledge the opposing view.
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How has the internet changed the way people share jokes?
How to structure itName the main change, then one concrete effect.
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Why can a joke be difficult to understand in another language?
How to structure itGive one cause, then an example.
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Is humour a good way to deal with stress?
How to structure itTake a position, then support it with a situation.
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Does laughing really make people healthier?
How to structure itState a view, then weigh the evidence you know.
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How might humour in the media change in the future?
How to structure itPredict a trend, then explain what drives it.
Say the answers out loud, then sit the whole test
Reading a question and answering it are different skills. Work through the list above aloud, then put the topic inside a full timed test where you cannot stop to think.
- Describe an interesting conversation you had Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
Part 1, a cue card, then Part 3 — timed, in your browser, about 13 minutes.
One cue card a day on Telegram
A new Part 2 card every morning, a vocabulary topic on Sundays.
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